


Something Old, Something New

by lindsey_grissom



Series: Unmentionable ‘Verse [2]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 19:37:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13910766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lindsey_grissom/pseuds/lindsey_grissom
Summary: Another moment between Anna and Mrs Hughes on the Housekeeper’s wedding day.





	Something Old, Something New

She has asked herself no less than three times this morning if perhaps she should simply forget about it. When she rose and dressed, John sitting on the side of the bed and watching her; again when they arrived for breakfast, the Butler and Housekeeper both expectedly absent and again now, outside Mrs Hughes’s door, her hand raised to knock.

  
Once, she would not have hesitated at all, but so many things have happened now that even though she tried to stop it, have widened the space between herself and the Housekeeper. For too long she could not even look at Mrs Hughes without remembering that night.

  
Through everything that followed, she fears she and John were perhaps not as kind as they could have been to the Housekeeper.

  
After that evening in Mrs Hughes’s sitting room when the older woman returned Lady Mary’s…device to her, she has realised that she misses the closeness they once shared.

  
She has noticed, now that the danger of the police has passed and her mind is free to notice, that it is Mrs Hughes that now pulls away, just slightly, whenever Anna draws near, who is more careful with her smiles and her words when she and John are about.

  
There was a time when Mrs Hughes would have shared the news of her engagement with her personally, would have spoken to her of the arrangements being made. But she has learnt of it all as the others have; through that first announcement and Mrs Patmore’s excited gossiping.

  
She takes a full breath and raps her knuckles against the door carefully. Does it again when the sound hardly travels at all.

  
“For goodness sake, Mrs Patmore, I do wish you’d save the worrying to me. We have plenty of time, I won’t be late to my own wedding.”

  
Anna smiles through her nerves. She passed the cook at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes twitching between the rooms above and the clock in the hallway. Mrs Patmore has been quite nervous, like a bride herself, about this wedding.

  
Turning the handle carefully, she pushes the door open. “It’s me, Mrs Hughes.”

  
The Housekeeper turns around on the stool, her hands falling from her hair — hardly any strands at all already pinned and a few more coming loose as she moves.

  
“Oh, Anna! I am sorry, Mrs Patmore has knocked on that door every three minutes since I woke this morning, I’m afraid I may have to lock her on the men’s side if she does it again.”

  
Mrs Hughes stands, her new skirt falling into place as she does and waves a hand for Anna to come in further.

  
It is far from the first time Anna has been in the Housekeeper’s bedroom. Though it is rare, the older woman has been known to succumb to illness just like everyone else on occassion and Anna has always been the one to bring her food and fresh linens, to help her wash and change her nightclothes during the worst of it.

  
Like her sitting room, the Housekeeper’s bedroom has changed little over the years, although today they are quite empty, only a few boxes and cases left to be taken to Mrs Hughes’s new home. Mr Carson too still has to move the last of his things; it seems he had not wanted to move there without his wife. John had teased her for tearing up when she learnt of that.

  
“I think Daisy is keeping her occupied now, Mrs Hughes. I mentioned to Mrs Patmore that she might like to check her progress with the family’s sweet puddings.”

  
“Thank you, Anna. She’s very kind, but she’s driven me half mad already this morning.” Mrs Hughes laughs and reaches for her arm, again she catches herself before she can actually touch Anna.

  
The last of her hesitation leaves her then; it seems it will be Anna who must bridge this space between them and she cannot bear for it to last a moment longer than it must. Especially when the Housekeeper will soon be gone from the House.

“Now, enough about that, tell me why you’re here. Is something the matter downstairs?"

  
Anna shakes her head at the question; “No, no everything’s fine. I wondered if I might help you.”

  
Mrs Hughes’s hand flutters a little at her waist. “Oh Anna, it’s a lovely thought but you don’t want—”

  
“I’ve been looking at the new hair fashions, for Lady Mary and I saw something I think would suit you.” She interrupts quickly. She hadn’t expected that Mrs Hughes would agree right away. In all of the discussions and arrangements for today, the Housekeeper has insisted time and again that there is no need for any fuss. It was Mr Carson who implored them all to give her the very best.

  
Taking another step closer, Anna lays her hand on the other woman’s shoulder. “Please Mrs Hughes, you’ve been so kind to me and Mr Bates and it would mean so much to me to do this for you.”

  
She stays still and relaxed as Mrs Hughes reaches for her, pulls her carefully close.

  
It takes only a moment before she burries her face in Mrs Hughes’s shoulder, draws strength she didn’t realise she needed, the way she hasn’t since she was a very young maid, the way she wishes she could have that night and several times since when something like a mother’s hold could have been welcomed.

They jump at the rapid knocking at the door, Mrs Patmore’s loud; “Hurry up!”

  
As she pulls back, she notices the tears that have caught on Mrs Hughes’s cheeks, brushes her own away with a laugh.

  
“She’ll be done in a moment, Mrs Patmore.” Looking back to the Housekeeper, she smiles. “Let’s get started.”

  
“Yes, we should before I really _am_ late.”

  
Mrs Hughes settles back onto the stool before her dresser and Anna comes up behind her, pulls the pins and clips put from her pockets and lays them out on the side.

  
“I’m sure Mr Carson would wait for you.”

  
She cannot help but echo the smile she sees spread across Mrs Hughes’s face in the mirror. “Perhaps, but I’d rather he not have to.”

  
Anna suspects, given Mr Carson’s usual habit of always running early, that he is likely already waiting at the church but she understands what Mrs Hughes hasn’t said; they’ve both waited long enough.

  
“I won’t take long.” She says and sets to work undoing the little style Mrs Hughes had achieved before. The Housekeeper pats her arm as she leans over to choose a pin and Anna feels tears rising again.

  
It really was time for them both to stop hesitating.

 

**End.**


End file.
